I first wrote about Swagbucks back in November 2008 when I first signed up for the program.  Swagbucks is a search engine just like Google, Ask, or Bing with one key exception – they PAY you to search!!!  Every so often, they reward you with a Swagbuck (or Swagbucks) when you search.  The Swagbuck is their own currency, and they can be redeemed for gift cards or merchandise.

I just redeemed my Swagbucks for another $20 Target gift card.  So far, I have personally earned 389 Swagbucks!  It takes 235 Swagbucks to obtain a $20 Target gift card.  It is FREE money!  YES!

Here is a great feature of this program.  Once you register, you can refer your friends.  For their first 100 Swagbucks, you can earn a matching Swagbuck!

You can check it out and register HERE.

NOTE: We have a TON of additional “Budget Boosters” located on the Next Steps site – I would recommend you start with the Top 5 Lists!

Like everyone else – I LOVE A DEAL!  I wrote the “I Was Broke” part of my book by always paying full price for items.  I was able to write the “Now I’m Not” part by demanding a deal.

I have been learning a lot about obtaining great deals from The Saving Freak.

One way to save money is try out free samples.  A good site to check out is Shop4Freebies (link has expired).

Since Jenn and I are expecting a baby boy in early February, I signed up for a bunch of free diaper samples!

Hope you find some deals!

Read recent posts

I am PUMPED to say that IWBNIN team member “The Saving Freak” was mentioned on The Clark Howard Show yesterday!  More specifically, The Saving Freak’s website – GroceryFreak.com was mentioned.

Congrats Saving Freak – you have saved me and a lot of other people a ton of money on groceries, and you deserve the KUDOS!

If you have a moment, will you go over to GroceryFreak.com (HERE) and congratulate The Saving Freak ?  You might even subscribe to receive each posts FREE in your e-mail (HERE).

We are only 70 days from Christmas!  This is a KNOWN, UPCOMING EXPENSE.  Ignoring known, upcoming expenses is one of the number one reasons that budgets fail.

You have 70 days until Christmas, but really probably only 40 or so to save for it.  Have you committed to pay cash for Christmas this year?  Share your progress!

If you have saved nothing for Christmas so far, what steps are you going to take to avoid debt?

Read recent posts

Related Posts:  SERIES:  Save Money For Next Christmas

We have added yet another “Spectacular” to our SPECTACULAR LIST OF TOOLS (all of them FREE by the way – because we ALL like FREE, right?)

DeAnna e-mailed the IWBNIN team and asked for a Camera Spectacular.  DeAnna, your request is now reality!  Your Savings and Pay-Off Spectaculars for the Canon XSI are now available HERE (Pay-Off Spectacular) and HERE (Savings Spectacular).

Read recent posts

I am excited about GroceryFreak.com, a new website that has been developed by The Saving Freak (a member of the IWBNIN Team).  It is focused on helping you save TONS money on groceries and consumer goods.

The IWBNIN team is passionate about helping you accomplish far more than you ever thought possible with your personal finances.  It drives everything we do.  The Saving Freak is passionate about saving money and teaching others how to do the same.

Check out GroceryFreak.com (or better yet, SUBSCRIBE via RSS or Email) and save a TON on groceries!

NOTE FROM JOE:  The Saving Freak will be teaching about GroceryFreak.com in addition to "how to save money on nearly everything you buy" at the I Was Broke. Now I'm Not. Book Signing/Seminar – TONIGHT, October 7th, in Anderson, SC.  Click HERE for more information and to register.

For this Saturday morning, we have updated our Next Steps site "Free Samples" section with a link to Shop4Freebies.com.  It is a great place to sign up for a variety of free stuff – if you don't mind increasing the quantity of e-mail and regular mail!

Check out the free samples link HERE.  You might just want to browse the entire "Budget Boosters" section while you are at it.  It is how me and my team have saved TONS of money!

The I Was Broke. Now I'm Not. Book Signing/Seminar is coming to Anderson, SC this coming Wednesday, October 7th – have you registered?

Participants will learn:

• How to prepare a written spending plan (budget) that actually works!
• Strategies for achieving debt freedom
• How to save money on nearly everything you buy – including groceries, restaurants, insurance, shopping on-line, entertainment, phone service, and many more!

Class Materials include:

• Seminar materials
• One signed copy of I Was Broke. Now I'm Not. per ticket (one per individual or household ticket)

Space is limited so REGISTER right away!

For those of you who are saving money on groceries by using COUPONS (if you are not – you should be!), Coupons.com provides FREE COUPONS HERE.

I have been saving anywhere from 35% – 85% off of my grocery bill by using coupons.  It is AMAZING, and it is helping my family be able to save money as we prepare to welcome Baby Sangl to the world in early February.  It is possible that my grocery bill will not change as we add another member to the family – I am so PUMPED!

There are still tickets available for the I Was Broke. Now I'm Not. Book Signing/Seminar in Anderson, SC.  It is one week from today.  Each ticket purchase will receive a signed copy of I Was Broke. Now I'm Not., seminar materials, PLUS will learn how to save money on groceries and nearly everything you buy – topics will include insurance, travel, groceries, restaurants, home and cell phone service, shopping, and more!  You can purchase tickets HERE.

I have met a lot of people who have taken steps to improve their finances in an incredible way, and then they fall victim to "the urge".  What is "the urge"?  It takes shape in various forms.  Here are a few …

• I have put off fun too long.  I deserve to have some fun.  It is OK to take a vacation and pay for it with our credit card.
• That [insert item here] is AWESOME!  I want it.  No, I don't want it.  I need it!  It is OK to use my emergency fund for this purchase.
• I am tired of telling my kids, "NO!"  It will be OK to give in just this once and buy the item using some of our savings for the future.
• The roof is leaking!  I don't want to live in a dump anymore.  I am going to move out of here, and I don't care how much it costs.  Who cares if I do not have a down payment or the income to support a larger mortgage payment.

In each case, there is a conscious choice to disregard logical and rational thinking, and we jump into the soup – regardless of the potential future cost.

Here are the top ways I have been able to resist the urge (remember that I am a spender – I definitely experience "the urge")

• We build some "fun" into the budget every single month.  We also save every single month for our known, upcoming, non-monthly expenses like vacation and Christmas.
• Jenn and I each receive spending money every month that we are not accountable to the other for how it is spent.  This allows us to give in to some of "the urge" without destroying the family finances.
• We make it a point to talk to our daughter about "why" we are saving money and putting off some purchases.  She knows that Baby Sangl is going to cost us a lot of money in healthcare costs.  She also knows that we are against all debt on non-appreciating assets (we don't like that type of debt much either).  It reduces the quantity of "I want that!" statements from her too!
• We save for the known upcoming expenses of home repairs.  Most homes are not dumps, they just break down like everything else.  By saving for some of them, we get to see progress.

Any that you would add?

Read recent posts